Cooking In Quarentine Project
About Me: Hello, my name is Morgan and I am a 5th year senior at Portland State University. After my first year here I changed my major from business to Community Health Promotion. I got bored with business and found a new passion for health and nutrition about 4 or 5 years ago after reading many health books and documentaries that opened my eyes to a plant-based diet. My dream career is to be a dietitian/ nutritionist. During quarentine I decided I wanted to learn how to cook more. The past month I've learned how to make dishes taste good and are good for you. I made 3 of each meal. Enjoy!
Breakfast #1: Oatmeal
This breakfast is easy to make and gives you lasting energy for your morning. The fiber from the oats and healthy fats from the nut butter will keep you full for hours. Adding your berries of choice for antioxidants and sweetness. Flax seeds or chia seeds for omega 3 fatty acids, and protein powder is optional for some extra flavor and protein.
Ingredients:
This breakfast is easy to make and gives you lasting energy for your morning. The fiber from the oats and healthy fats from the nut butter will keep you full for hours. Adding your berries of choice for antioxidants and sweetness. Flax seeds or chia seeds for omega 3 fatty acids, and protein powder is optional for some extra flavor and protein.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 tbs flax seeds or chia seeds
- 1/2 scoop protein powder
- 1 handful of berries of choice
- 1 spoonful of nut butter of choice
Breakfast #2: Avocado Toast
One of my favorites and quickest to make. So tasty and filling. You can put anything you want on top of the toast based on what you like. Heres what I enjoy. Avocados are full of fiber and healthy fats which will keep you full. They are high in potassium and vitamin K and lower cholesterol.
One of my favorites and quickest to make. So tasty and filling. You can put anything you want on top of the toast based on what you like. Heres what I enjoy. Avocados are full of fiber and healthy fats which will keep you full. They are high in potassium and vitamin K and lower cholesterol.
- 2 slices of bread toasted
- 1 full medium sized avocado
- lemon juice
- sprinkle salt and pepper
- drizzle hot sauce
Breakfast #3: Granola yogurt parfait
This one is super easy to put together and its so yummy and refreshing. If you're in a mood for something lighter for breakfast than this is a good one. I used a vegan yogurt but any yogurt of choice is good.
This one is super easy to put together and its so yummy and refreshing. If you're in a mood for something lighter for breakfast than this is a good one. I used a vegan yogurt but any yogurt of choice is good.
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 of granola
- 1 handful of berries
Lunch #1: Vegan Chickpea Buffalo Quesadillas
These are delicious and filling! A healthy version of comforting quesadillas. Lots of protein from the chickpeas. You'll have a sauce to put on the quesadillas then for the filling is mashed chickpeas with hot sauce and spices added to it. Than put it all together in a pan to toast the quesadilla and serve with a side of sour cream to cool the hot sauce! I got this recipe from rainbowplantlife.com
This recipe makes 4 large quesadillas.
Mexican cheese sauce: blend all ingredients to make sauce
These are delicious and filling! A healthy version of comforting quesadillas. Lots of protein from the chickpeas. You'll have a sauce to put on the quesadillas then for the filling is mashed chickpeas with hot sauce and spices added to it. Than put it all together in a pan to toast the quesadilla and serve with a side of sour cream to cool the hot sauce! I got this recipe from rainbowplantlife.com
This recipe makes 4 large quesadillas.
Mexican cheese sauce: blend all ingredients to make sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews boiled for 5 mins
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup salsa of choice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 4 tablespoons Franks Hot sauce or hot sauce of choice
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- a pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 medium yellow onion diced and cooked till brown
- 4 cloves of garlic cooked with onion
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas drained and rinsed. These will be mashed
- 1 small bunch of scallions thinly sliced for garnish
Lunch #2: Veggie Hummus Wrap
This lunch is very simple, quick, and light if you're not super hungry. Its a good way to fit in some greens and vegetables in your day to give you a boost. The protein from the hummus will also keep you satiated. You can use any hummus and vegetables of choice or what you have in your fridge. Then roll it up and all done. It is also easy to pack in a container if you need it on the go.
This lunch is very simple, quick, and light if you're not super hungry. Its a good way to fit in some greens and vegetables in your day to give you a boost. The protein from the hummus will also keep you satiated. You can use any hummus and vegetables of choice or what you have in your fridge. Then roll it up and all done. It is also easy to pack in a container if you need it on the go.
- 1 tortilla
- spread hummus of choice
- layer a few slices of avocado
- sprouts
- spinach
- cucumber
Lunch #3: Buddha Bowl
Buddha bowls are easy, affordable, and healthy. You can put anything you want in them usually with some kind go grain, protein, and vegetables. You can make it in bulk as well and keep in your fridge for a few days. To keep it interesting you can switch things up by using or making different sauces. I used this tahini sauce.
Buddha bowls are easy, affordable, and healthy. You can put anything you want in them usually with some kind go grain, protein, and vegetables. You can make it in bulk as well and keep in your fridge for a few days. To keep it interesting you can switch things up by using or making different sauces. I used this tahini sauce.
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Baked broccoli
- Baked sweet potato
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 juice lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp hot water to thin
Dinner #1: Yakisoba noodles with tofu and veggies
A delicious and quick noodles recipe that is also packed with veggies and protein from tofu. You can do any veggies of choice and what I did was buy a frozen package of already chopped veggies which made the process faster and the veggies keep longer. This package has carrots, broccoli, and corn. I also added frozen edamame. Start by draining the tofu by covering it in paper towels and putting something on top of it to push the water out. Cook up the veggies and garlic in a pan with some seasonings. The noodles cook very fast so those can be cooked last. Marinate the tofu in soy sauces then cook on pan till brown on outside. Then mix everything together and cook for about a minute or 2 then serve with sirracha and sesame seeds.
A delicious and quick noodles recipe that is also packed with veggies and protein from tofu. You can do any veggies of choice and what I did was buy a frozen package of already chopped veggies which made the process faster and the veggies keep longer. This package has carrots, broccoli, and corn. I also added frozen edamame. Start by draining the tofu by covering it in paper towels and putting something on top of it to push the water out. Cook up the veggies and garlic in a pan with some seasonings. The noodles cook very fast so those can be cooked last. Marinate the tofu in soy sauces then cook on pan till brown on outside. Then mix everything together and cook for about a minute or 2 then serve with sirracha and sesame seeds.
- Cook veggies of choice
- Extra Firm tofu
- Soba noodles or buckwheat
- Sesame seeds
- sirracha
- Sauce:
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbs sirracha
- 2 tbsp coconut or brown sugar
Dinner #2: Fish tacos
I eat mostly a plant based diet with the excetion of fish. This evening my dad and I made fish tacos for Cinco De Mayo. It was fun cooking with family and they were easy to make with few ingredients. We used cod and cooked it until it was fully cooked. Chopped some cabbage and limes and drizzled some salsa on top with lime juice and had rice and beans on the side. Very simple yet very tasty.
I eat mostly a plant based diet with the excetion of fish. This evening my dad and I made fish tacos for Cinco De Mayo. It was fun cooking with family and they were easy to make with few ingredients. We used cod and cooked it until it was fully cooked. Chopped some cabbage and limes and drizzled some salsa on top with lime juice and had rice and beans on the side. Very simple yet very tasty.
- Cod
- Cabbage
- Salsa
- Limes
- Small Tortillas
Dinner 3#: Lemon basil creamy pasta
This dish only took about 30 minutes and was one of my favorites. I had some leftovers for a few days which was nice to have if I was hungry and didn't want to cook. This dish is filling and healthy because of all the veggies. The sauce is what brings the flavor. I got this recipe from playswellwithbutter.com serves 4 servings. Cook the pasta. Cook the veggies. Make the sauce. Mix all together in one pan and cook and stir for about a minute.
This dish only took about 30 minutes and was one of my favorites. I had some leftovers for a few days which was nice to have if I was hungry and didn't want to cook. This dish is filling and healthy because of all the veggies. The sauce is what brings the flavor. I got this recipe from playswellwithbutter.com serves 4 servings. Cook the pasta. Cook the veggies. Make the sauce. Mix all together in one pan and cook and stir for about a minute.
- 8 ounces of pasta of choice
- 3 cups of chopped broccoli
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 ounces of sun-dried tomatoes
- 4 ounces of spinach
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Lemon basil sauce: blended
- 1 cup of cashews boiled for 5 mins
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Conclusion and Pros and Cons:
I really enjoyed making the food and eating it after. It is very rewarding. I was fun cooking with my family and working together. Cooking isn't as hard as I thought it was and I definitely want to continue making more dishes and trying new recipes. Some dishes were more challenging and time consuming than other but some were quick and easy and tasty. I hope I've inspired you to cook more at home and make healthier food choices! Diet is a huge factor to the top diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people every year: Heart disease, Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer. Eating healthy improves many aspects of your life: energy, mood, confidence. Live longer and happier.
Pros:
I really enjoyed making the food and eating it after. It is very rewarding. I was fun cooking with my family and working together. Cooking isn't as hard as I thought it was and I definitely want to continue making more dishes and trying new recipes. Some dishes were more challenging and time consuming than other but some were quick and easy and tasty. I hope I've inspired you to cook more at home and make healthier food choices! Diet is a huge factor to the top diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of people every year: Heart disease, Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer. Eating healthy improves many aspects of your life: energy, mood, confidence. Live longer and happier.
Pros:
- Cheaper
- Healthier
- Fun
- Satisfying
- Leftovers
- Time Consuming
- Cleaning
- May not taste like restaurant food
- Sometimes food gets wasted